Angelo Fraschina, Draftsman, 1909 - 1920

In 1908, the first record of Angelo in San Francisco shows him living at 2832 Franklin Street,  His occupation is listed in the city directory as "laborer:" 

Probably this refers to the work that was being done by so many of those who had come in search of employment to San Francisco after the earthquake: clearing the thousands of tons of debris left by the 28,000 buildings that had been destroyed and the arduous work of rebuilding, not just structures, but the infrastructure as well.

A notable fact is that he lived just a few blocks away from his future wife, Ida Galli who was living with her mother, Catherine Galli at 1763 Greenwich Street:

At some point, in the tight-knit Italian community, their paths crossed, they fell in love, and in 1909, they married.

By the time the 1909 city directory was issued, another momentous change had occurred in Angelo's circumstances: he was now working as a draftsman for the most famous architect in America, Daniel Burnham.

Daniel Burnham was not only the most renowned architect in America, by 1909, he had the biggest architectural practice in the world.  He was famed as the chief architect, designer and organizer of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, the "World's Columbian Exposition," as well as the creator of Washington, D.C.'s Union Station and Capitol Mall; and the Flatiron Building in New York.  

In San Francisco, his firm designed the San Francisco Chronicle Building in 1890 (then the tallest building in San Francisco due to its soaring clock tower that reached 280 feet) and the Mills Building in 1892, one of the very few buildings in the downtown financial district that survived the 1906 quake more or less intact.  The other two were the Kohl Building designed by Willis Polk and the Merchants Exchange Building designed by Daniel Burnham in 1904.

The Merchants Exchange Building at 465 California Street and Montgomery in 1904.

And the Merchants Exchange at the same address today:

Daniel Burnham reserved a suite of offices on the 13th floor of the Merchants Exchange for his new offices in San Francisco, with Willis Polk in charge when the Building opened in 1903.  Later, the offices of archtect Julia Morgan joined them on the 13th floor

The Merchants Exchange Building, after the 1906 quake, at the rear second from the left. On the right is the other Burnham building that survived the quake, the Mills Building and on the far left is Willis Polk's Kohl Building. 

Because it was one of the very few buildings left standing and more or less intact after the quake, and one of its only skyscrapers, the City decided to quickly repair the Merchants Exchange Building as a symbol of hope for San Francisco. The Building supplied water and power to adjacent properties throughout the rebuilding process.

By 1909, the rebuilding of San Francisco was in full swing and Angelo finally was able to put his education and professional training to work as a draftsman for Daniel Burnham & Co., with Willis Polk at the helm.

An amazing photo of Angelo at work at DH Burnham & Co. in about 1910, third  from the left, with Willis Polk in the foreground.

In 1910, Angelo began working with Willis Polk on the development of West Clay Park, an Arts and Crafts residential development off Lake Street (bounded by 22nd and 24th Avenues) in the Richmond District of San Francisco. Each home had a unique architectural plan. These grand, beautiful structures on  landscaped streets were largely built between 1910 and 1920

West Clay Park today

Meanwhile, Ida had found employment as a bookkeeper for the Golden Gate Macaroni and Paste Company, conveniently located around the corner at 2930 Octavia Street, in a building that still stands today:

 Golden Gate Macaroni Factory in the 1920s:
        

 And the building as it stands today:

2930 Octavia Street